Kapele Krew

Girls Camp 2011

2011-08-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

I was asked to attend Girls Camp! I was so excited. Our stake goes to Treasure Mountain, which is where I went as a kid. It was all so familiar and filled with memories. I was a tent mom for the 1st year girls. I had the easiest girls. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had.

Girls at campfire. During campfire things get pretty silly. Skits and games are played. Songs are sung as loudly as you can imagine. The girls got so much out of this time. It was a time to just have good fun.

This was my group of girls. They were called the Royal Runts. The theme this year was Quest for the Best so everything was bad around medieval times.

We took the 1st year girls on a hike. It was the most beautiful hike ever. We hiked, had lunch then some of the girls swam! It was cold water!

More of the hike...

One think that had changes is they now have yurt's. No more tents. It was nice. This is the one that some of us leaders slept in. The little stream flowed behind it.

Say Cheese?

2011-07-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

I was taking a picture of my nephew Alex. This is what I got.

Carter is 7!

2011-07-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

My little Carter bug is 7! I can't believe how fast time has gone by. Carter is a sweet kid who loves growing up. His favorite color is green. His favorite restaurant is Olive Garden. His favorite subject is reading. His favorite friends are Michael and Noah. Carter has learned so much this year. He learned how to swim and ride his bike. He is learning Karate. He just got his orange belt. We love Carter so much and feel like the luckiest parents in the world to have him!

Friday Night Fun

2011-07-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

I got to babysit Payten, Riley and Blake while John and Carla went to see Harry Potter. Juli, Max and Alex came over to play. The kids played in the backyard. It was cute. Love these kids!

Riley, Max and Alex

Blake

Carter and Payten

Max and Riley

Alex and Blake having a serious conversation!

A Quickie!

2011-07-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Carter learned how to ride a bike. He would only ride in "straight" lines on the first day. Now he will make "turns". Baby steps for this kid!

Clay finished baseball season. They had a really fun season. That's code for they only won 2 games. But they had FUN!

Andrew played in an outdoor violin concert. He's in the blue shirt. It was all the 5th graders in Vacaville. They played at the Nut Tree Plaza.

Jordan (and his friend Derek) made high honors again this year. This is after the ceremony. He does smile once in awhile. Just not for the camera.

Facebook Free!

2011-04-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

I just deleted my Facebook account. I spent a lot of time looking at other peoples lives instead of participating in mine. I didn't do the games or Farmville, I just felt like I was always looking at it. So if you want updates you can look here! I will be better about keeping the family blog updated. I promise.

Clay has the Camera!

2011-04-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Clay often get a hold of my camera. When he does I get pictures like this.

Our Visit With the McCormack's

2011-04-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

The McCormack's beautiful home

The boys shot guns for hours!

They were all in heaven...including Frank

Andrew taking a shot

As part of our vacation we stopped by my cousin Jennifer's house. She and her husband Don spoiled us rotten! The boys enjoyed being with them more than Disneyland. We sat around a fire pit and talked, shot guns, played croquet, and went to Dave and Busters. Jennifer and I got to talk. She is the sweetest, kindest, nicest and loving person I know. We loved their dogs, Max and Clover. When we pulled up to their house the boys said " this is like Hogwarts"! They have an amazing home. A white owl lives in the turrets which the boys named Hedwig. I am so thankful for family. I am so thankful that we were able to spend that time with them. Thanks Jennifer and Donny! We love you!

Carter's Karate

2011-04-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Carter and Noah Kaai are in Karate together. They just earned their orange/white belt. It was so cute to watch! Now they are in the advanced class. Carter LOVES it. He takes it very seriously.

Baseball Begins 2011

2011-04-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

Clay is playing for the Red Sox this year!

GO #23!

Disneyland 2011

2011-04-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

Andrew walking through Disneyland.

Sam and Macy. Macy's first time on the cars!

Clay and Noah

Frank and Sam

Kristen and Lily

Sam and Betty (and Frank being sneaky..haha)

Frank and Jordan about to battle it out on Buzz Lightyear

Frank and Carter on Toy Story Mania

Ellie, Betty and Maile

Andrew about to watch Bug's Life 3D

Jordan and Noah

The Kaai family

Kristen and Carter

Jordan. He text the whole time.

Jordan, Andrew, Clay and Carter right before entering the Tiki Room

Clay and Carter on Toy Story Mania

Our Family waiting to watch World of Color

Our family after seeing the Fireworks

5K

2011-04-21T20:12:00.001-07:00

After the race!

I signed Frank and I up for a 5K. We only had a week to get ready. I have been running, so it was OK for me. Frank was not so happy but ran happily! It was so fun to do it together. Our next goal is a 10K. Frank only request is that it not be the day before we leave for Disneyland again....

13 and 1/2 so far...

2011-01-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

That is how many grandkids my parents have. #14 is expected to arrive in late March of 2011 to Ryan and Melissa.

Keep in mind when you see this picture how hard it is to get this many kids to sit still and smile at the same time!

Kirra. Tristan. Teagan. Jordan. Andrew. Clay. Carter. Max. Alex. Payten. Riley. Blake. Addy.

Family Camping

2011-01-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

My family went "cabin" camping with my family. The DeGarmos, the Mrazek's, the Mills' and my Mom. We camped in the hugest cabin. We all slept upstairs in bunk beds. The downstairs was one huge room for the kids to run around in.

We canoed.

We played with Grandma Mills.

The kids rolled all over the room on this ottoman.

We played in the river. Some jumped off rocks.

We played with the babies. Blake and Alex.

We sat by the river and played in the sand.

We sat by the HUGE fireplace.
We also celebrated Kirra's 17th birthday. We all took turns cooking. Ate amazing food. We had a great time.

Camping With the Kaai's

2011-01-30T16:31:00.001-08:00

We camped with the Kaai's this year. We went to a KOA in Placerville. They had a lot for the kids to do. It was so hot the entire time, but it was really fun.

We played pool.

We played at the playground.

We played cards.

We played mini golf.

We climbed trees.

We swam in the pool.

We went into an old cave. It was nice and cool in there.

We panned for gold....well colorful rocks.

We BBQ'ed.

We took pictures.

WE HAD FUN!

Camping In Gualala

2011-01-30T16:17:00.001-08:00

We camped at the most beautiful place called Gualala River Redwood Park.

The kids (and Frank) climbed and jumped all day.

The setting was amazing.

We had a campfire and s'mores every night. We also told ghost stories that were quite silly!

The river was just perfect. Shallow in most areas. We skipped rocks and ran around in the trees. The boys found forts. We played basketball, soccer and ping-pong. We can't wait to go back.

Carter Ikaia Kapele

2011-01-29T22:13:00.001-08:00

Christmas 2010

First day of 1st grade.

Carter played baseball for the Giants .

Frank "Clayton" Kaui Kapele

2011-01-29T21:58:00.001-08:00

Clay played Flag Football. He loved it.

First day of 3rd grade.

He played for the A's in Little League.

Christmas 2010. What a stud.

Andrew Michael Kapele

2011-01-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

Andrew received his Arrow of Light Award in scouts. He is moving up to boy scouts. He did tons of work to accomplish all he did.

Andrew, Christmas 2010

First day of 5th grade. Note the Beatles shirt. He's obsessed with the Beatles!

This is a typical Silly Andrew pics!

Jordan Alexander Mills Kapele

2011-01-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

Jordan received a High Honors award for have a 4.0.

Jordan was injured playing football on November 4, 2010. He hurt his spinal cord but will be ok. He has had to wear this neck brace, which comes off on February 7, 2011. He can't wait. More to come on his cervical spinal stenosis diagnosis....

He's such a stud.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

What a great Christmas we had. Happy kids. Happy parents. Happy family.

The Aftermath

The Boys

Before

Our Stockings

"L.A. Christmas Party"

2011-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

This year, the what we call the "LA Chritmas Party", was held in Napa. My parents hosted a wonderful party for the entire extended family. It was so much fun to see all my cousins, my cousins kids, and my cousins kids kid! Aunts and Uncles galore. Everyone is so happy. We are lucky to have such an amazing group.

Wicked!

2010-02-08T12:32:00.001-08:00

This is us after the show. Sleepy.

I was so happy!

We spent the night at the Hotel Whitcomb. It was so pretty and right across the street.

Frank got me Wicked tickets for Christmas. It was the perfect adventure. We spent the night in the city. Which I needed more than I knew. We had the best time ever! Thanks Frank.

New Years Eve 2009

2010-02-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

We watched fireworks!

Hanging out at the Kaai's house.

Betty, Christine and I watching something in Betty's room.

Frank goofing off and eating.

December 2009

2010-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

This is Christmas morning. Ally was with this year. It was so much fun.

Clay was baptized the first Saturday in December. Great way to start the month!

I guess when you become a teenager you can't give a big happy smile!

This is Christmas morning. Ally was still asleep.

Clay and Carter's Car Conversation

2009-10-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Clay: I miss Kirra
Carter: So do I
Clay: I like her. Mom do you like her?
Mom: Yes, I love Kirra.
Clay: Kirra is smart. She knows everything.
Carter: No she doesn't. She doesn't know 99 x 99!
Clay: Carter, Kirra is 16! She know everything!

Alexander Thomas Mrazek

2009-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Juli, Erik and Max welcomed a baby boy!

Alexander Thomas Mrazek

The First Day of School

2009-10-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

This year is a very special one. ALL OF MY KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL!!! I have been waiting for this for a long time.

Jordan started Jr.High. He goes to Vaca Pena Middle School. He really likes it. He made the football team and is thrilled. Andrew started 4th grade. He was a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Schultz. Clay started 2nd grade. his teacher is Mr. Muehlenbruch. He loves playing kickball at recess. Carter started Kindergarten. His teacher is Mrs. Wilcox. He LOVES school. He is good in class and is starting to read quite well!

I am a happy mom!

Together Again!

2009-10-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Betty, Trish and I became friends quickly. We met in the Vacaville 2nd Ward when Zack, Ellie and Andrew were 18 months old. They are now about 10. Trish moved away to Texas. It was so sad, but we meet up whenever we can. We had an opportunity to get together in Southern California. Trish was there for a class reunion so Betty and I flew down for some fun. We shopped, ate and went to Disneyland. Sarah and Zoey came with Trish to CA. Sarah was so sweet and beautiful. Meeting Zoey was such a treat. She is darling.

It was a great getaway for us all!

Happy Birthday Carter!

2009-07-12T18:46:00.001-07:00

Carter is 5 today! A whole new world begins for him. He will start Kindergarten in August. He is a little nervous, but I am sure he will love it. Carter is a shy little guy, but is full of personality. We are lucky to have him in our family.

Bye Baseball

2009-07-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Baseball season is done. We have our time back. I am always happy when the season is over for about a week and then I miss it. Fall ball will start soon. They both has a fun season. Jordan started to pitch and did great. Clay had a b last during his first year. He can really hit the ball.

Jordan's 6th Grade Graduation

2009-07-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Jordan is officially in Middle School. He enjoyed being a student at Cooper Elementary School. His teachers were fantastic! Jordan is a great kid. He received the Presidents award during the graduation. Good Luck in 7th Grade!

A's and Jordin Sparks

2009-07-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

This was a great day! We took the boys to see an A's game and Jordin Sparks gave a free concert after the game. They actually sat through the entire game and watched it. The concert afterwards was amazing. She sang 13 songs. The boys thought it was cool to see someone from American Idol.

Wicked!

2009-07-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

My wonderful mother took the "girls" to go and see WICKED. It was totally amazing. We drove into the city early and had dinner across the street. We parked in a parking garage and were driven around by a crazy man that Juli entertained with her humor. We all laugh so hard when we are together. Kirra just had her braces off so she was smiling the entire night.

Bodega Bay 2009

2009-07-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

This was our attempt to get all 9 kids together for a picture.

One of our favorite places is Bodega Bay. We rented our favorite house there, Casa Del Sol, with the Kaai's for Easter. We had a lot of fun. The guys got to golf, the girls got to walk and look at(and into) houses. The kids played and played and played. We went to the beach and loved it. It was fun to have Easter morning together and have all the kids wake up and see all the baskets and candy. We love Bodega Bay!

Blah Blah Blah

2009-04-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile, but honestly I have nothing to blog about. We wake up, get kids off to school, clean up, go to costco if we need to (we usually need to) Frank goes to work, then kids come home, we do homework and then are at baseball until about 8:30. Then it's baths and bedtime. So basically clean, costco and baseball. Oh wait, and about 30 loads of laundry a day. I need some fun.

Disneyland Withdrawals!

2009-04-08T21:42:00.001-07:00

Our family was really lucky this past year to have Disneyland passes. They expire on April 28, 2009. Just thinking about it makes me sad. Frank and I have been budget crazy so we decided to not go one more time this year. I seriously have an ache in my heart. I think we just have such special memories as a family there and that's why I love going so much. When we were little my Grandpa Del used to take us quite often. He used to also take my mom when she was a little girl. Sadly our adventures will be over for a little while. Juli, Erik and my mom get to take Max next week for Erik's birthday. I wish I could go just to see Max see Disneyland for the first time. He is going to love it. I'm sure they will take pictures. I'm sure he will love it just as much as all the kids and grandkids do!

CLAY-O-LANTERN

2009-03-16T13:57:00.001-07:00

Our Tooth Fairy has been very busy!

PLAY BALL!

2009-03-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's baseball season! We are so excited. It's so much fun to be out at Centennial watching games and running around to practices and games. Jordan and Clay are playing this year. Jordan is on the Major A's. Clay is on the Farm Red Sox. It's Clay's first year, and he loves it. So far Jordan's team is 3 and 0 and Clay's is 2 and 1. GO A'S and RED SOX!

Fun Times at the G&G Mills House!

2009-03-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma Mills took a trip to Israel. We were all so happy, and relieved, when they came home happy and healthy. We all gathered together for dinner and fun yesterday to celebrate. They brought back David and Goliath sling shots for all the boys. Grandma froze large marshmallows for us to "sling" around. It was so fun. Several ended up in the pool, and quite a few in the neighbors back yard. Oops! We ate yummy Navajo Tacos thanks to Kelly's cooking. We also decorated cookies, again, thanks to Kelly. a.k.a. Superwoman! We looked at the the amazing pictures that my parents took. They are awesome pictures. I am so glad that my family is my family. They are so much fun. We always laugh so hard when we are together.

Just For Max!

2009-03-15T12:13:00.001-07:00

WE LOVE YOU!

Our Christmas

2008-12-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. On Christams Eve, we went to Frank's parents and ate yummy food, watched a Christmas movie.....and finally opened presents at dark.

We had a fun Christmas morning. The kids were up early and had to read the sign from Mom and Dad. They had matching jammies, thanks to Grandma Faye. It's always a happy time to see the boys so excited.

We ended Christmas Day at my parents house in Napa. Again, yummy food and presents galore. We are so thankful to have such a great family. We are blessed to have all that we have. Merry Christmas to everyone! We love you.

A Conversation With Clay

2008-12-21T21:21:00.000-08:00

Clay: Mom, when's my birthday?

Mom: November 6th.

Clay: But that's what it was last year?!

Happy Birthday Jordan!

2008-12-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Jordan is 12!

On December 10th is Jordan's birthday. This is such an exciting age for Jordan. He will go to Young Men's now and pass the sacrament. He will also start Middle School. I feel so proud as a mother to have Jordan for a son. Jordan is so sweet and caring. He is my biggest help. He is smart and athletic. He loves to have fun. He loves to talk sports, especially football. Jordan is so special to Frank and I. He made us parents. We love you Jordan!

Let Christmas Begin!

2008-12-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

This is the best time of year. I think the Christmas season starts with Black Friday. I must admit that I look forward to Black Friday, even more than Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving night all the girls look at the ads, and put together our game plans. It's the best. This year Betty, Juli and I started the morning at about 4:30am. We started at Wal-Mart, then Target and then we hit the Mall. We used Betty's double stroller for our shopping cart. People kept peeking in to find the baby...no babies here! Just the mamma's on a mission!

Yesterday, the Festival of Trees, began in Vacaville. This is a fundraiser for the Opportunity House, which is the shelter for women and children. Businesses and groups decorate unbelievable trees, and people bid on them. They also sell donated treats and crafts. I worked the craft table in the morning. It's such a great event. It usually earns about $130,000.00.

Last night was Merriment on Main. Downtown Vacaville is closed off and we light the tree. Booths are set up all along the streets and serve treats and hot chocolate. Different group entertain along the streets as well. It's a fun night that gives us the small town feel of Vacaville. We really like living here. My Mom, Juli and Max went as well. Ater we all went to Juli's house for Hot Chocolate and watched Polar Express.

Happenings at the Kapele's

2008-11-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Andrew got a watch for his birthday...he has wanted one for a long "time"...hahaha

Frank and our nephew Max...2 of my favorite boys.

Painting on a Saturday night...Andrew was grouchy...can you tell?

We have been trying to keep busy while the boys are off track. It's been fun. Next week is the final week of break! Then it's back to school! Yippee for Mommy!

Flag Football

2008-11-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

Jordan's last practice was last night. The kids played the adults. It was great. The adults were winning, so then coach Ralph went to join the boys. They still lost but with a little more confidence. Jordan had a fun season. His coaches were the best we have ever had. Next year he will play for the junior high.

Happy 9th Birthday Andrew!

2008-11-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

This is my silly Andrew. We are so lucky to have him in our family. He keeps us all laughing with his funny dances, and hats. He works hard in school and loves to read. Especially Captain Underpants books. He still loves Art classes and is goin gto start a cartooning class next year.

WE LOVE YOU ANDREW...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Disneyland, yet again!

2008-11-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

We took a last minute trip to Disneyland. On Tuesday at 11am we decided to go, and we were gone by 2pm. As always we had a great time.

Wud up playaz!

2008-10-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

My pimpin' husband for Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Life has slowed down quite a bit. We are about to track off for the month of November. I am so excited to not have to worry about homework and bedtime. We decided not to go to Disneyland, so I am a little sad, but with 3 of the kids birthdays and Christmas it's just too expensive. I love this time of year. It rained today! I get so excited for all the holiday's. It will be fun now that we are all settled.

Here are some random pics of stuff. Jordan playing football (he's had 6 TD's this season!), the boys covered in dirt,(this is what they do while we are watching Jordan's game)Halloween crafts with the Kaai's and Andrew doing a presentation at pack meeting for scouts. Also one of Carter. Betty is going to die when she sees this picture of her on my blog. So it might be gone soon. So funny!

Moving

2008-09-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I know it's been awhile, but I have a good excuse. We are moving. It's just around the corner, but it is still moving. Half of our stuff is in this house, and the other half in the other house. It's quite confusing. Anyway I will update soon. If you want our new address, email me and I will send it to you. Phone numbers and all that are staying the same.

Oh, by the way.....Frank and I had our 10th anniversary on the 19th!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLA!

Year Anniversary~

2008-09-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today is my bogging anniversary. It has been an entire year. It has gone really fast.

We have been busy as usual. Lst weekend we did take a break and have a BBQ at my parents in Napa. We swam, ate and had The Kids Olympics. We had Biggest Splash, Smallest Splash, Diving, Shotput, and closest to the pin. At the end Grandpa announced the prizes. It was a blast.

FYI

2008-08-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Just to let everone know that Carter Ikaia Kapele is no longer Carter Ikaia Kapele. He has decided that his new name is Wall-e Bowling. First it was Wall-e Bowling Kitty, but he decided that was a little long.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY WALL-E BOWLING!!

Summer Fun....School's Begun

2008-08-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Another Disneyland trip has come and gone. This one was special because we went with our friends, the Kaai's. We had 10 kids between the 2 families. It was crazy fun. We were there for the earthquake. The kids thought it was pretty cool, the adults did not. We were a little frazzled, but turned the day into fun even though the rides at Disneyland were closed for quite some time. Our next trip is planned for November, if not sooner. I love season passes.

School has started! Jordan is in 6th grade, Andrew is in 3rd, and Clay is in 1st. They all seem to like their teachers and classmates. I am happy to have just one left at home. Next year, they will all be in school. I think I will be a sad mommy.

Ally went home yesterday. It's been nice to have another girl in the house. She is so pretty, and has the longest legs I have ever seen. The boys enjoyed her. It was nice to have her here for so long. We got to see the interaction get comfortable enough to where they would even fight. I knew when that started that they were true siblings. We already miss her.

Quickie!

2008-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Summer this year seems really busy. We only have 5 weeks because of year round so we pack it full. We have been traveling with Jordan baseball team on the weekends. That's been fun. Then the ENTIRE family got the flu. Carter is still getting over it. Worst ever. Ryan and Melissa came to visit for the 4th. We had a BBQ at Mom's. Total fun. Carter turned 4! I can't believe my baby is 4. Ally is here with us for a month. It's nice to have a girl in the house. Much more balance. We got a Wii Fit. We all love it. Happy Birthday Juli today! We leave for Disneyland in 10 days. Good ending!

Graffiti

2008-06-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to clean the boys bathroom toilet. To my surprise, it had been tagged! Clay felt the need to remind his brothers as they were peeing that we was "kicking butt". He also felt he need to claim the woody car, and the bathroom wall. What is it with men and the bathroom?

I've Been Tagged....by Trish

2008-06-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, Trish. I'm not sure if I will do this right, but here we go...

What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was planning our wedding. We will be married 10 years this September!

What are 5 things on my to do list today.
1-Go to Weight watchers
2-Take kids to Target
3-Pick up Jordan's new baseball uniform
4-Return NetFlix Movies
5-Take Andrew to his first day of Scout Camp

Things I would do if I was a Billionaire.
I would pay off or buy houses for everyone that I love.

Places I have lived.
Long Beach, CA
Colorado
Connecticut
Utah
Hacienda Heights, CA
Napa, CA
Vacaville, CA

Jobs I have had.
Mom (love it)
Napa Parks & Rec(Sooooo fun)
Event Coordinator at a hotel(loved it)
A Deli for like 2 weeks (hated it)
An Attorney's office for like 3 weeks(really hated it)

Time for an update...

2008-06-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Yes, I very behind in blogging. I'll try and quickly catch you up.

School is out! We are in year round school, so we just got out on Friday. Jordan is now in 6th grade, Andrew in 3rd, and Clay in 1st. Carter will start pre-school. This is a very strange feeling for me. Especially having a 6th grader. I remember 6th grade like it was yesterday. They all finished with smiles, and are ready for summer.

Jordan started a traveling baseball team, called the "Blasts". It goes through December, but they are only playing one weekend a month. Art finished for Andrew, so he is down to just scouts. He goes to camp for the first time this week. He is very excited. Clay will start flag football in September, along with Jordan. Luckily all practices and games are during the week. But that also means we will be at the field 4 nights a week. Yippee! Carter for now is just going with the flow.

Frank played in a basketball tournament through his work this weekend. He came in 1st Place! He still has it!

I have decided that I need to scrapbook again. I miss it terribly. So that is my summer goal. I am excited about it.

Other than that we are just hanging out inside the house to keep cool. Hope you all are having a great summer!

Backyard Badminton

2008-06-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight we played badminton for Family Home Evening. It was totally fun. They were pretty good. I think Frank and I had more fun. Only Carter ran inside to cry because it didn't work just right. It was a fun night.

San Diego-Part 3

2008-05-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

We were able to spend time with Ryan, Melissa and Addy! On Saturday we had the coolest picnic ever! The food was very gourmet! We say on the beach and got sunburned. Later that night we went to their house and they cooked yummy enchiladas. Addy is so funny. She just smiles all the time. We had such a good time with them.

San Diego-Part 2

2008-05-26T16:54:00.001-07:00

The food was always delicious, but the desserts were YUM! I only got pictures of 3 desserts because I forgot my camera. But this gives you an idea!

San Diego- Part 1

2008-05-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

This trip was so great, that I need 3 posts. The first 3 days of the trip we spent doing company activities. Wednesday was a dinner right on the beach. Thursday was Franks big award ceremony. August Busch IV actually presented the awards. He came around the room and introduced himself to everyone. The lunch was amazing. It was the most beautiful room and setting I have ever seen. The food was even beautiful.

Our room was awesome. We had a living room, 2 bathrooms and a walk in closet. We had 2 queen beds that were totally comfortable. They also had a hospitality suite open for the employees the entire time that had drinks and snacks. It had a pool table, darts and big screen T.V. and music constantly playing. It was fun.

Thursday night we were ambassadors for Budweiser. I know this sounds funny to my mormon friends. Frank has worked for Budweiser for much longer than he has been a member of the church. It's a great job that allows me to stay home, so he isn't going anywhere. Anyway, we were sent on a huge scavenger hunt all over the Gas Lamp district in downtown San Diego. We ended up on the 20th floor of the Hard Rock Hotel. We had a huge dinner outdoors with the most unbelievable views. The night was fun and we got to know people from all over the U.S.

Friday we had our Spa Treatments. It started with Manicures and Pedicures. Frank did enjoy his manicure. Then we went to the Spa. It was the greatest spa I have ever been to. We had massages and paraffin wax treatments. I sat in the steam room, and then in the spa area with cucumbers and all. Friday night we had another dinner. Their were about 10 stations of different kinds of foods. Different activities were going on in each corner of the room.

This was the most perfect setting for such a great event. It was relaxing and exciting to be together as Frank received the President's Award. He worked hard for it.

Fancy Trip

2008-05-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Frank and I are going on a trip. Alone. Frank is getting an award through his work for an idea that has saved the company a bundle of money. So they are sending us to San Diego to stay at the Hotel Del Coronado. They are showering us with Spa treatments, breakfasts, lunches dinners and fun outings.

A huge thank you to Juli, Faye and my Mom for making it possible for us to escape to be spoiled. We are so lucky tho have you. I know the boys will be very well cared for.

I will let you know how it all turns out.

Homerun Hitter

2008-05-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Jordan hit his first homerun! He really wanted to hit one this year, and he came close quite a few times with triples. But Wednesday was his big night. It was a bomb over the left field fence. Such a great moment. Frank had day shift so he got to see it. Juli and Max were also there. The screaming cheers scared Max for a little bit. The team greeted Jordan at the plate jumping up and down. He had the cutest smile on his face. I am sure he will never forget that moment.

Carter the Artist

2008-05-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

If you look closely you can see the previous work of Clay in Yellow! It's by the A.

Carter has been experimenting with different artistic techniques. First is white acrylic paint used on the side of my beautiful leather couch. Second is red marker(no, not a washable crayola) on the front of his bedroom dresser. He was so proud of this piece. He said "I got tic, tac, toe three in a row". Then " I made a good A, and T and O". Yes, they are good letters Carter, but on PAPER! Oh, the canvases that 3 year olds create!

Mother's Day

2008-05-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

I know I am a little late, but better late than never! Frank and I are so lucky to have such great mom's. They love us, and our kids no matter what. They are both helpful and supportive and give great advice! I missed my mom this mother's day (she was in AZ) but we had a very nice day. It's funny to me that most of my pictures of both my mom, and Faye are at Disneyland!

We LOVE Disneyland!

2008-05-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

So I got the Disneyland itch. I was determined to make it happen. It worked. My mother-in-law and I took the boys to Disneyland. It was a total blast. Andrew, Clay and Carter went on the Matterhorn for the first time. Clay and Carter loved it. Andrew, not so much. It was so nice to have Faye to take the kids on the bigger roller coasters. I don't care for them so it was perfect. The Kaai family was there at the same time. We didn't get to hang out, but we got a quick pic. We ended up getting year passes, so we can turn this year into some fun!

Post Without Pictures

2008-04-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think posts without pictures are boring. So that is why I have not posted anything.

I forgot to take my camera to Lake Tahoe for Easter. I did buy disposable cameras, but naturally they are
sitting on my desk waiting to be developed. So Happy Easter everyone!

I seem to forget my camera on several happy occasions. Yesterday we had a very happy day at my parents. Ryan, Melissa and Addy were here visiting. We had a party at Mom's and celebrated April and May's birthday's. Although, I was secretly celebrating something totally different........

CARTER IS POTTY TRAINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This may not seem very exciting to many of you. But this is the end of diapers for me. I have been dreaming of this moment since the first diaper I changed about 11 1/2 years ago. That's right! I have been changing diapers for 11 1/2 years. I can't believe that I am done.

School starts again tomorrow. Another celebration! They have been on track break for a month.

Trish!

2008-03-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

To my awesome friend Trish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday.

I miss you terribly.

I love you.

Brag Blog

2008-03-15T18:05:00.001-07:00

I am always complaining about all the things that I have to do, and how crazy the boys are. Well I love my boys so much, and I want to brag about all the good things they do.

Jordan: He just got straight A's. He passed his reading goal and reached 114.5%. This is a big deal, because he really does not like to read. He is doing great in baseball. In fact this morning he got a triple. A couple more inches and it would have gone over the fence. He loves to cook, and makes dinner and treats often. He is such a helpful kid.

Andrew: He also got straight S's. They don't get actual grades yet, but he is doing really well. His teacher said she loves his funny sense of humor, and that his writing concepts are very deep. He is taking art classes and loves them. Andrew is my sweetie, and Carter's best friend.

Clay: Clay had all above average scores on his report card! He has learned to read and loves it. He writes all the time too. He plays hard every day, and on the weekends he plays guitar hero. He has now passed several levels. It is so fun to watch him jam!

Carter: My little boy is growing up! He has all sorts of funny things to say. Talk this child does all the time. He is a deep thinker and can figure everything out. He's really into snails and making sure they are safe and have homes. He loves to be outside.

So as you can see I am a very lucky mom. School tracked off on Friday. We are so excited for the break. We are going to have fun enjoying this California weather!

Stuff

2008-03-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

I have been getting requests to post more. Well I think you will understand why I don't post that often. I have 4 boys. It's flu season, which means that at any given time someone will throw up. It's usually Carter. The flu also means bronchitis and coughs that last for 3 weeks. All of us have that cough. Baseball started. Jordan is on the minor A's. I am the team mom. Team mom does not mean "plan the snacks" anymore. It means meetings, fundraisers(at least 4), food planning, banner making, party planning, score keeping organization, coach's assistant, parent calmer and about 1000 emails a day. Seriously. It alsomeans either a game or practice every day. Jordan is also doing scouts. Andrew is doing art classes, which really only entails my driving skills. Also he has cub scouts, which involves keeping up. I also have Clay. I am also potty training a 3 year old, who refuses to use the toilet. I know they say when they are ready it will happen. Well I am ready. So it needs to be done. I also am in charge of teaching primary. So I need to have entertaining lessons for about 40 kids every Sunday. I am also planning the Primary Talent Show. I am planning it will the 11 year old boys. I keep having to remind them that security and hand cuffs are not necessary to control the small children. I also have to do the ward Easter Egg hunt. We will be out of town for it, but it all has to be ready and organized before we leave. And, I also have Clay. The End. (oh wait. I know that you are thinking where is Frank. Frank helps a ton, but he also works 7 days a week right now. ) Did I mention that I have Clay?

My Favorite Books!

2008-02-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

I have a new favorite book. Series, actually. You need to read them. I read all 3 in a week. Seriously, the best books ever! Once you read them you will totally understand the feeling of these books! Twilight is the first. New Moon is the second. Eclipse is the third. The forth comes out in August. I can't wait!

Baby Mills!

2008-02-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

Riley Jane Mills was born on Feb.4th. She weighed 7pounds and 1 ounce. She was 19.5 inches long. The delivery went really well, and John actually got to deliver her. Head and all! Carla looks so good in all of the pictures , a happy Mommy. We are so excited to welcome another cousin to the family! We love you Riley!

Stupid Strike!

2008-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

I am so ready for the writers strike to be over. Thursday night used to be something to look forward to. I miss The Office and Grey's Anatomy! I know it sounds pretty pathetic, but you have no idea how much laundry got folded on Thursday nights. And then talking about it on Friday was so fun. And Jim, oh I miss Jim (I think Betty misses him more).

Predident Hinckley

2008-01-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

Our sweet prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley has just passed away. He was 97 years old. People loved this man so much. He had a wonderful sense of humor. His family is amazing as well. We are finding comfort in knowing that he is reunited with his wife, whom he loved dearly.

Alone at Last!

2008-01-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

Frank and I just got back from Disneyland. We went by ourselves. It was soooooo nice. We drove down, and actually got to have a conversation. We had a jacuzzi tub in our room, a huge one. Yes, we used it. We spent 2 days enjoying Disneyland and California Adventure. It's a totally different experience without kids. We were relaxed. We went on all the rides, even California Screamin'. Now, I am not bragging. I got totally sick. Like so sick that we had to go back to the room so I could lay down for a couple of hours. It took about 5 days for my head to feel normal again. I don't think roller coasters are for me anymore. It was so hard to come home. Granted we did miss the kids. But to be alone with Frank was so fun. We had a awesome time!

More Christmas Pics....

2008-01-19T20:22:00.001-08:00

These we at Grandma and Grandpa Mills.

Ho Ho Ho

2008-01-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, its very late to be posting Christmas. But I am sure that you are all missing Christmastime so this will take you back. We had a wonderful Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve with Mark and Faye. We had Christmas morning at home, and Christmas day at my parents in Napa. Busy, yes, but worth every minute. Carter understood "presents" this year. That makes it fun. Jordan woke up first and alerted us all that Santa had come. It was a fantastic holiday season for us.

The Parking Lot.....

2008-01-19T19:46:00.000-08:00

So when I was a senior I committed a crime. Graffiti! Regina, Erika, Jenny and I decided to paint the parking lot. Not the entire lot, just the spots that we parked in everyday. That was back in 1993. Well, when I went to Kirra's game what did I see? Our Parking spots, STILL PAINTED! Mine, was covered partially by a huge piece of steel(they are doing construction). But all of them were still legible. I was so excited and luckily I had my camera. We never got in trouble for doing this. Honestly we were just having fun. Ahhhh, the good 'ol days!

Kirra's a STAR!

2008-01-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

Kirra is on the freshman basketball team for Vintage High. GO CRUSHERS! We went to one of her games in Napa on a Friday night. It was so fun to watch her play. She is pretty aggressive and made half of the teams points. Unfortunatly they lost. It's so weird that Kirra is in high school. My old high school......more to come in this subject on my next blog.

I know! I know!

2008-01-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

I know I need to catch up. We have had a lot go on. I am having a hard time with my camera, but I will catch up.

Juli's BIG Baby Boy!

2007-12-12T14:25:00.001-08:00

Juli and Erik became parents on Friday, December 7, 2007. After a long labor and a lot of pushing, they decided that a C-section was the best idea. Thank goodness they did. Maxwell Lubor Mrazek came into the world weighing 12 lbs. 3 oz. and was 21 inches long. No, I am not kidding. No, she was not diabetic. He was just a very big boy. His cheeks are so squishy. They are home and doing well. Juli is recovering nicely. Juli and Erik are glowing and happy!

Andrew's Big Day!

2007-12-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Andrew had a very special birthday. He turned 8, which means he was able to be baptized. Frank baptized him on December 1st. Ellie Kaai was baptized on the same day. It was just the two of them. It was special to share the experience with best friends. Andrew was really excited and nervous. He did great. He was smiling the entire night!

The Syrup Snatcher

2007-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Frank is on day shift and 3 of my kids are at school. Which leaves Carter and I for a fun day. Right? Wrong. I caught him in the living room with the syrup bottle. He was drinking it. Like, really turning the bottle upside down and guzzling it. Needless to say it was all over. Syrup. All over. So hard to clean up. I make him some waffles, yes with more syrup, and clean up. Then I put him in the bath. As I continue to clean up , Carter poops in the bath. Not a little, a LOT! So I take him out clean the bathtub, put him back in and re-wash him. As I am picking up the bathroom, he poured out a container of cereal. As I am sweeping up the cereal he emptied all the kids books from the bookshelf. I made him help me put them back. Then as I was making the beds I hear him in the kitchen. When I arrived he had a chair by the pantry and was reaching for more syrup. He is now watching T.V. Thank goodness for Nick Jr. Now we will see what he does as I attempt to shower.... I'll keep you posted. ( by the way I hid the syrup)

Bodega Bay

2007-11-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

This was a great trip. We rented a house in Bodega Harbour. We had a fantastic view of the ocean. The DeGarmo's, John, Carla and Payten and our family went. We had 6 boys and little Payten. They had a blast. We went to the docks to see the boats and went to the Head to hike around. We spent some time at the beach. The kids were covered in wet sand. The climbed rocks and dug trenches. They made cities in the sand. It rained one day, but it was nice to be inside relaxing. We really love Bodega Bay. The area is so beautiful. The beaches are great. We look forward to our next visit.

Clay is 6

2007-11-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

Clay turned 6 on Tuesday. We were driving home from San Diego that day so we celebrated on Monday night. It was fun to celebrate with Ryan, Melissa, Grandma Mills, and Adeline. He opened presents, of which Thrillville was the favorite (thanks Grandma)! We ate cake and ice cream (again, thanks Grandma)! Clay had a good time. He is very happy to be 6.

Our Last Minute Trip

2007-11-08T22:42:00.001-08:00

I decided I just couldn't wait to see Adeline so we went to San Diego. It was worth it! Addy is absolutely beautiful. Frank and I fell in love instantly. It took the boys a little longer, I think they were excited to see Uncle Ryan (and in Carter's case Melissa). She was awake and alert most of the time. Her hair is such a pretty color, and her skin is tan. She certainly didn't get that from Ryan. Grandma Mills was there, so that was an extra treat. It was nice to see Ryan and Melissa's apartment, and Ryan's school. The kids now understand where they are.

Halloween

2007-11-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am very late in posting Halloween. We had fun. Payten came and we trick-or-treated. As always, we had quite a bit of candy. The boys loved it.

I can See!

2007-10-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Andrew got his glasses today. When he put them on he said "I can see", so funny. He looks so cute. He has to wear them pretty much all of the time. He is allowed to take them off for P.E. and things like that. I think he likes that Harry Potter has them as well!

Baby Macy Kaai

2007-10-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

The Kaai's 5th baby is here! Macy Kalawaianuiahina Kaai was born on October 27th at 7:20 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. 5 ozs. and was 19 1/2 inches long. Macy is beautiful! Betty looks wonderful. Macy was 3 weeks early, but is perfect. It was so fun to hang out with Betty at the hospital tonight. Amber came and we just chatted and laughed. Macy is a tiny ball of love!

Miss Addy is here!

2007-10-25T20:28:00.001-07:00

This is Adeline Lily Mills, daughter of Ryan and Melissa Mills. She was born on October 24th, at 3:20 pm. She weighed 8lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 inches long. After a dramatic week of fire and evacuation she finally made her appearence. She was born C-section after being more than a week late. Melissa is doing great, and lookes beautiful in the pictures. Congratulations to my little brother and his wife! I can't wait to meet Adeline!

Are you ready for some football?

2007-10-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Flag football started this week. Ok, you all know that I am not a huge football fan, but it is so much fun to watch Jordan play. He absolutely LOVES it. He is the captain of defense. He knows everything that is going on throughout the entire game. His favorite thing to do is to kick-off, and then go and grab the flag of the kid who caught the ball. So far he hasn't missed. Football is his favorite sport. He really wants to play tackle. I say no. They practice 5 nights a week and travel for Sunday games. I will try and tape a game so I can post some of it here. It's very entertaining.

Sweet Aeve...

2007-10-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last Friday my friends, the Brown's, were in a terrible car accident. Aeve (Eve) died as a result of head trauma. She was 9 years old. Mitzi, her mother, has injuries to her hand but thankfully everyone else is okay. They were driving on I5 near Bakersfield when the uncle who was driving fell asleep behind the wheel. When he awoke he over corrected causing the Suburban to flip. Mitzi's husband, Tom, was on the East coast for the military. Also in the car were Mitzi's other children, Isaiah, Shad, Giddeon, and baby Tabitha. I attended the memorial last night. It was beautiful. Pictures swarmed the halls of Aeve. Aeve was a very intelligent, social and talented little girl. She was involved in many organizations. It's amazing how much a child can accomplish in such a short time on earth. She touched many lives. We will miss you Aeve!

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

We had a great Saturday at the Pumpkin Patch in Dixon. We picked our own pumpkins right off the vine. We went on a hay ride, a first for all of us. We went with Juli and Erik and John, Carla and Payten. The kids loved the huge hay stacked pyramid. We had a fun time!

Prego Babes!

2007-10-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

Juli (my sister) and Betty (my best friend) are both pregnant. Betty is due November 13. Juli is due December 5th. They came over tonight for dinner and Chocolate Malted Crunch ice cream. They look so cute.

My Treasure!

2007-10-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today I did a lot of laundry. I thought I would share with you the items that I found in the washer. I do go through the pockets, these are just the things that I missed. The items are, a piece of bark, a fake pair of teeth, a small battery, a pink rock and a chess piece. A quarter was found as well but we used it today to buy a diet Coke. I really needed a lift. I have washed some interesting things. The most impressive thing that still works is a game boy. Nintendo must have designed the game boy with moms of little boys in mind.

Driving Miss Daisy Belle

2007-10-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

We are watching Daisy while my parents are out of town. Daisy is actually my brother Ryan's dog. My parents have cared for her while Ryan went on his mission and while he is in college. Quite honestly I think they could never give her back. She is a funny dog. On her second night with us, she fussed all night long. She was whimpering and barking (half bark and half howling) . We let her out, that didn't work. We pet her and gave her attention, that didn't work. She was very irritated. Finally she slept on the floor. She was refusing to get in her bed. Now, this is strange for her. She LOVES her bed. The next morning she was sitting, staring at her bed. She was doing her half bark, half howl thing. I looked in her bed. A Purple block was in her spot. This block was taking over her bed, and Daisy was not happy. I quickly moved the block and Daisy got in her bed. She slept all morning.

BIG Night!

2007-09-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

So tonight is the night that we have all been waiting for. The Office AND Grey's Anatomy start a new season. I know it's pretty sad that I look forward to TV so much. But quite honestly it gives me something to look forward to. Franks at work, the kids are in bed. It's quiet and I can enjoy it. Amber is coming over to watch Grey's with me. Total fun. I hope Jim and Pam kiss.
AND.....Carla and John found out that they are having another girl! I am so excited. Payten will have a sister. We all need sisters. You may hate them growing up, but as an adult they are your best friends.

Let the Clay and Carter stories begin...

2007-09-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

I thought I was being a good mom by letting my kids paint. This is a very messy activity so it is limited in this house. They were having a great time and wanted to post their artwork around the house. I noticed Clay went outside to put some on the outside of the house. I let him knowing I could take them down later. Well, what I didn't see was the GLUE in his other hand. So he glued his artwork all over the garage, the awning posts, the mailbox and the wall. Not just drops of glue, globs of glue all over the place. So while I am scrubbing outside, Carter finds the glue bottles. They were high up on the counter, but I should have known that height never stops a little boy. He glued everything. Turned the bottle upside down and started squeezing. All over Andrew's dresser, the carpet, the backpacks, the fan, the frogs cage, the CD player, the vacuum, toys, shoes, clothes, you name it it was glued. I just finished the clean-up. So now I need to go see what kind of damage they did while I was writing this. Wish me luck.